


Silver

by carpelucem



Series: 2013 Ficlet Advent [15]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-07
Updated: 2014-01-07
Packaged: 2018-01-07 20:28:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1124045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carpelucem/pseuds/carpelucem
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The difference was the guilt, souring deep in Thor’s belly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Silver

It was with a grim pleasure that Thor prepared to leave Midgard for the second time, with Loki by his side. His homecoming - their homecoming - should have been victorious, but it pained Thor to the point of actual physical ache to see the golden cage about his brother’s jaw. (for despite the claims of differing parentage, Thor knew in his heart that he and Loki were bound together, always had been and ever would remain)

Thor argued with the others over the apparatus, threatened to rain down a storm the likes of which they’d never encountered before. Mjolnir warm in his palm, Thor was ready to call upon the heavens until Tony took him aside. He explained in his familiar rapidfire speech that the device kept still Loki’s silver tongue, the one capable of spinning lies that even their father, the great Odin, had no hesitation in believing. The Avengers team, SHIELD, Earth itself, was too vulnerable until Thor took Loki to his realm. If Thor wanted Asgard to dole the justice for Loki’s crimes, the device was not a negotiation. 

Somewhere deep inside, Thor knew it to be a necessity, Loki had the power to manipulate beyond any he’d ever before seen. But the discomfort, the humiliation burned in Thor on Loki’s behalf. Loki was still his brother, and Thor held still a warrior’s fighting heart, incapable of not yearning to protect what he deemed his. Thor had not the words, but tried to relay his intent in the way he closed a hand about Loki’s arm, squeezing gently to calm him. He had done the same when they were boys, when Loki was frightened by something or other and running to Thor to protect him.

It was the same urge to keep Loki from harm in New York as it was when they were small. The difference was the guilt, souring deep in Thor’s belly, that his return to Asgard in bondage was only partially Loki’s fault.

Thor knew that somewhere he’d failed, and the weight of that might have been a more restrictive bond than the chains around Loki’s wrists.


End file.
